Breaking Noah

“Now what?” I ask, feeling guilty. I’ve cost him everything and he’s still here with me.

“I’m going to write. It’s what I want to do anyway, so why not?”

“What about a job? How are you going to live?” Panic is evident in my voice, and he kisses my forehead, pulls me to his chest, and slowly rubs circles on my back.

“I’ve got some money put away for a rainy day. Don’t worry about it. Worst case, I go back to teaching in a year or so, but for now, I just want to be with you and write my novel.”

“Sounds fantastic.”

“It really does. Now get over here, stop feeling guilty, and give your man a kiss.”

My man. Finally. After all this time. He’s mine. I can do what I want with him without having mixed emotions. I’m finally allowed to just love him. And accept his love.

Epilogue

Noah

THREE YEARS LATER

“Did it come?” Zara yells from the bathroom, just getting out of the shower. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to living with her; the woman is full of surprises. Not only was our wedding a quick trip to Vegas—her choice, of course—she’s applied to law school at Northwestern so she can stay close to home…to me.

I flip through the mail and come across a letter from the university. I test its weight, and it’s fairly heavy. “Something’s here. Want me to open it?”

Zara comes running, dressed only in a towel, and snatches the letter from my hand. Clutching it to her chest, she sits on the couch, the towel riding a little high, and sighs.

“This is it. It has to be,” she whispers.

“Well…”

“I can’t do it. You have to. Here,” she says, thrusting the letter back to me. Sitting down next to her, I pull her feet onto my lap and she lays back against the sofa, covering her eyes with an arm. I could sit here all day and look at her like this: hair sopping wet, wearing only a towel that’s short enough for me to stare at her beauty.

“Okay. Here it goes.” I rip apart the envelope and pull out the single sheet of paper on top of a thick folder. “Are you ready?” I ask. I’m sure I’m as nervous as she is right about now.

“Just tell me. Yes or no. Don’t be a dick, Noah,” she stresses, exasperated.

“All right,” I singsong. “Dear Mrs. Hamilton-Bain. It’s our pleasure to advise you of your acceptance into the Northwestern University School of Law….” I would continue reading, but she’s already leaped out of my lap, leaving the towel far behind, and dances across the living room.

“I knew it. I just knew I aced that interview!” she yells, pumping her fist in the air.

“Zara. Your towel.” She glances down, noticing she’s stark naked, and her entire body flushes.

“Shit. I’ll be right back.”

She runs into the bedroom and comes out a few minutes later dressed in an oversized T-shirt and yoga shorts. “I did it.” She smiles, her eyes full of happiness.

“I married the perfect girl and she’s just been accepted to the school of her choice. How could life get any better?” I pick her up, swinging her in my arms. Zara wraps her hands around my neck and pulls me in for a passionate kiss.

“I know how,” she teases, nibbling at my bottom lip.

“Is that how you feel, wife?”

“It is, but that’s not really what I was getting at.” Zara laughs, jumping out of my arms and retrieving her laptop from the bedroom. She turns the screen to face me, and my heart about leaps out of my chest.

“Are you serious?”

“Dead serious.”

Reading the words written on the screen, my eyes fill with unshed tears. “Really?”